Riverside

Welcome to our Care & Support Impact Report for 2024/25,

As the Chief Care & Support Officer at Riverside I am so proud to share with you some of the fantastic work that has been going on across Riverside’s Care & Support services over the past 12 months. In particular, the report highlights the positive impact that our teams and services continue to have on the lives of the thousands of people we work with on a daily basis.

I hope you find this report useful; alongside some key performance data and shining a light on the breadth and impact of what we do, the report also includes some wonderfully insightful customer stories that really get to the heart of why we do what we do.

You will find information about how we ensure our services are safe, delivered to high standards and compliant with regulations, and details of our performance in relation to tenders for our commissioned services.

It is great to share with you details of the influencing work we do too. As one of the largest providers of supported services for people affected by homelessness in the country – we work hard to give our customers a voice on the national stage. We have shared some highlights in the report about what we have been doing to make this happen as we push to secure a future for much needed supported services in a challenging economic environment.

Finally, we share the results of our annual customer survey and details of our customer involvement work – work which is so key to ensure that the people we work with can shape the services they receive and feel safe and supported to live independently.

I hope you enjoy reading about our work as much as I did and if you’d like to know more about what we do – do get in touch,

John Glenton
Chief Care & Support Officer, Riverside 

Our Care & Support Strategy 2023-26 recognises the scale and complexity of our business and the challenges faced by our sector including financial pressures and multiple regulation. Our focus has been on integration, consolidation and financial viability to ensure our long-term success and the delivery of high quality and innovative services for our customers. We have achieved a significant amount, helped by it being a living, breathing strategy delivered by colleagues across the group. There are 85 strategy projects in total and at the end of 2024/25, 42 were complete. We are on track to complete all except three projects which will be deferred to the next strategy period.

This has been the right strategy for a period of change, and we have concentrated on getting some of the basics right e.g. reducing cash leakage and managing our contracts portfolio. Our strategy prioritises support for customers during challenging economic times including promoting access to Riverside Foundation funding initiatives such as the Helping Hand Programme (aimed at supporting customers experiencing significant financial hardship) and the Community Fund (for local projects that promote opportunities and wellbeing and tackle poverty in our communities).

As we embark on the final year we are in a strong position. Our focus for the final year is on high impact projects such as completing the Retirement Living Investment Programme and delivering the Supported Housing Asset Review programme of scheme improvements.

2026/27 will be a transitional year as we prepare for the new Corporate Strategy 2026-31 and embark on a campaign of engagement with colleagues, customers and stakeholders.

As well as being a social landlord with over 75,000 homes nationwide, Riverside is one of the leading providers of Care & Support services in the country – operating in over 130 local authority areas, employing over 1,600 colleagues and serving over 14,000 customers per year.

From Carlisle to Dover and from Bristol to Hull, alongside our award-winning CQC-registered Care and Extra Care services and our national portfolio of over 190 Retirement Living schemes, we are one of the country’s largest providers of services for people affected by homelessness – providing accommodation-based, outreach, specialist veteran accommodation, Ofsted registered young people’s services and floating support.

We provided accommodation and wraparound support for 5,062 people experiencing homelessness.

The number of people at risk of homelessness that we supported to maintain their home, preventing them from becoming homeless through our floating support services.

of people we supported felt more confident or had a greater sense of choice and control in their lives.

We helped 2,274 people to move on from our supported accommodation services into their own home or other suitable accommodation.

of people we supported reported an improvement in their physical and mental health after accessing one of our services.

the number of homeless families provided with safe accommodation and wraparound support in our family and young parents services.

Victoria’s story

After being identified as sleeping rough, Victoria was referred to Riverside’s Claremont House Service for single homeless people in Gloucestershire.

During her time in supported housing, Victoria successfully went through recovery from substance use and built a trusted relationship with her support worker.

With this support, Victoria now lives in her own flat, has earnt qualifications in advanced English, Maths and health and social care and has volunteered as a mentor at The Phoenix Centre, working with veterans. In Victoria’s own words:

“Claremont House saved my life. Supported housing saved my life. Supported housing gave me the stability that I needed.”

Harry’s story

When Harry became a Riverside tenant the local team eventually became aware that he was ‘a drinker’ and didn’t really engage with any local activities. This eventually escalated to Harry not letting the Gas Safety Team in and a number of pre-legal letters were sent.

After eventually gaining access a Safeguarding referral was made but Harry refused to engage with Riverside or a Social Worker. He’d go missing for long periods and it seemed he had abandoned his home to the point that an NTQ was issued.

In September 2024 his son reported Harry missing to the Police and he was tracked down in Birmingham. He returned home but by this time it was uninhabitable. Harry was overwhelmed – it was all too much for him and he was in rent arrears.

Rather than looking to evict Harry, the local team liaised closely with Social Services and the local authority Care Team, arranging for Harry to receive 4 hours care a week from the council and Riverside paid for an environmental deep clean of Harry’s property and, through Riverside’s Helping Hands Fund a new bed, microwave and washing machine.

As a result, Harry has engaged with his carers, his mental health issues are being addressed and he is now maintaining his tenancy, his property and engaging.

Housing & Support including Retirement Living

Our Supported Services

We provide supported accommodation, dispersed and floating support services to a broad range of customers in services across the country. Our customer groups include: single homeless adults, people sleeping rough, Armed Forces Veterans, people suffering domestic abuse, homeless families and young parents, people with learning disabilities, people with mental health needs as well as older people, young people and specialist services for the LGBTQ+ community.

In many of these services we provide people with support to live independently, to maintain tenancies and prepare many customers with a background in homelessness to move on into independent living.

Carlos Montejo
Area Manager, Surrey

Virtual reality

“Our Virtual Reality Project has engaged customers and transformed lives in three of Riverside’s Surrey-based supported services. Developed by the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University and funded by Surrey County Council the treatment utilises virtual reality equipment to target intense anxiety that can have a crippling effect on people’s lives. Through automated virtual reality therapy, customers encounter scenarios they find difficult and practice more helpful ways of thinking and behaving. Customers who accessed it saw real and significant changes in their anxiety levels and their ability to function in society. In addition, it has been effectively and efficiently delivered with the number of customers participating exceeding expectations.”

Housing with Care

Riverside’s Extra Care Services offer a modern alternative to traditional care homes, designed to support older adults and individuals with care needs while promoting independence and dignity.

Information about our services can be found in our CQC Statement of Purpose

Almendra’s story

“Living here is fantastic. I’ve found friends, peace and a true sense of community.”

Almendra moved into Esther Randall Court, our Extra Care service in Camden, London, after a long career as a foreign news correspondent covering north, Latin and parts of south America. After feeling quite lonely where she lived previously, the team helped her settle in, make friends with other customers and get involved in things going on in the community.

Almendra now has a wide friendship circle in and outside the service. She’s become a regular at the local church and plays an active role in our poetry group.

She has helped create a sense of community at Esther Randall Court, sharing her kindness, humour and rich life story with other residents. In particular, Almendra has been a great source of support to a customer who has been in hospital for a long period, visiting regularly to give her company and keep her spirits up.